COURT RECORDS DIGEST Presented by the Records Conservation Project in cooperation with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Court Records Digest created and developed by Barry L. McGhee, bmcghee@interserf.net This edition was prepared 07/07/96 Copyright © Barry L. McGhee 1996 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pre-1914 court papers located in the Circuit Court for the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia, are being processed for archival storage and microfilming. As part of this on-going project, a database containing the names of primary parties (plaintiffs, defendants, deponents, petitioners, etc) has been created by the Records Conservation Project. Also included in the database are Remarks on the contents of records containing documents of historical or genealogical significance. Over three thousand records containing Remarks are presented in the Court Records Digest. Search for Digest entries using the Digest Index, which contains all words in all Digest entries with the exception of common words (the, and, etc.), common abbreviations (dec'd, exor, etc.), and abbreviations for which complete words also exist in the same record (Comlth for Commonwealth, Wm. for William, etc.). The index does not contain initials or non-alphabetic characters. All words have been entered in the database spelled as they were found in the original documents (typos excepted). Consequently, several variations of a word may appear in the same word table. The lack of punctuation in early documents also produces variations on a single word ("Taliaferros" may have been used for "Taliaferro's" or for "Taliaferros", denoting several people named "Taliaferro"). In the instance of the use of "Slave" and "Slaves", the plural form was intentionally used to indicate records containing references to more than one slave. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Court Papers Court papers in the Circuit Court for the City of Fredericksburg are from the following courts: Hustings / Corporation Court for the Town / City of Fredericksburg (1782-1941) District Court for the Spotsylvania District (1789-1808) Superior Court of Law for Spotsylvania County (1808-1831) Superior Court of Chancery for the Spotsylvania District (1814-1831) Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery for Spotsylvania County (1831-1851) Circuit Court for Spotsylvania County (1852-1889) Circuit Court for the City of Fredericksburg (1889-current) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Courts in the Commonwealth of Virginia Hustings / Corporation Court The Hustings Court, also known as the Corporation Court in jurisdictions incorporated as independent cities, was the town/city equivalent of the County Court. It was presided over by Justices under the Mayor of the town/city and heard civil and criminal matters. Civil actions on appeal and criminal matters resulting in conviction were sent to the next higher court (Hustings Court to District Court / Superior Court and Corporation Court to Circuit Court) for further action. District Court District Courts, created in order to relieve the General Court of the congestion of common law cases, were established in eighteen Virginia localities and the district of Kentucky in 1789. Each district was comprised of several counties and court was held twice a year in each district. General Court judges presided over the District Courts. The court for the District of Spotsylvania included Spotsylvania, Caroline, King George, Stafford, Orange, Culpeper and Counties. District Courts were abolished in 1808, being replaced by Superior Courts of Law. Citation : THE VIRGINIA STATE COURT SYSTEM, 1776- by Thomas Jefferson Headlee, Jr. Virginia State Library 1969 Notes: Madison County was also part of the District for Spotsylvania as evidenced by the court records. The records for the Spotsylvania District Court are located in Fredericksburg because the District Court sat in the Fredericksburg courthouse, not in the Spotsylvania County courthouse. Consequently, this Court is often referred to as the Fredericksburg District Court. Among the records in Fredericksburg are a number of cases which were instituted in the General Court and moved later to the newly created District Court. Superior Court of Law Superior Courts of Law were created in 1808, superceding the District Courts and maintaining the same district structure for criminal and civil cases. The courts, established in each county, met twice a year, presided over by a General Court judge riding a circuit from county to county. Consequently, these courts are often referred to as "Circuit Courts", "Circuit Courts of Law" or "Circuit Superior Courts". Citation : THE VIRGINIA STATE COURT SYSTEM, 1776- by Thomas Jefferson Headlee, Jr. Virginia State Library 1969 Note: The records for Spotsylvania Superior Court of Law are located in Fredericksburg because the court sat in the Fredericksburg courthouse, not in the Spotsylvania County courthouse. Consequently, this Court is often referred to as the Fredericksburg Superior Court of Law. Superior Court of Chancery Superior Courts of Chancery were created in 1802 in order to expedite the hearing of chancery cases, which had previously been heard in the High Court of Chancery. Superior Courts were established in three districts and are sometimes referred to as "District Courts of Chancery". The number of Superior Court districts was increased to six in 1812, to eight in 1813/1814 and to nine late in 1814. The Spotsylvania District for the Superior Court of Chancery, established in 1814, included Caroline, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fairfax, Lancaster, Northumberland, Madison, King George, Orange, Prince William, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Essex and Westmoreland Counties and the Town of Fredericksburg. Citation : THE VIRGINIA STATE COURT SYSTEM, 1776- by Thomas Jefferson Headlee, Jr. Virginia State Library 1969 Note: The records for Spotsylvania Superior Court of Law are located in Fredericksburg because the court sat in the Fredericksburg courthouse, not in the Spotsylvania County courthouse. Consequently, this Court is often referred to as the Fredericksburg Superior Court of Chancery. Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery Circuit Superior Courts of Law and Chancery were created in 1831, superceding the Superior Courts of Law and the Superior Courts of Chancery. The courts, held in each county twice a year and presided over by a General Court judge riding a circuit from county to county, were abolished in 1852 when the Virginia Constitution of 1851 became effective. Citation : THE VIRGINIA STATE COURT SYSTEM, 1776- by Thomas Jefferson Headlee, Jr. Virginia State Library 1969 Note: The records for Spotsylvania Superior Court of Law and Chancery are located in Fredericksburg because the court sat in the Fredericksburg courthouse, not in the Spotsylvania County courthouse. Consequently, this Court is often referred to as the Fredericksburg Superior Court of Law and Chancery. The Court Order Book for the period shows the last reference to Law and Chancery appearing in the May 1850 court term. Circuit Court Circuit Courts, established in 1852, were held twice a year in each county and were presided over by a judge riding a circuit from county to county. Citation : THE VIRGINIA STATE COURT SYSTEM, 1776- by Thomas Jefferson Headlee, Jr. Virginia State Library 1969 Notes: The records for Spotsylvania Circuit Court through 1889 are located in Fredericksburg because the court sat in the Fredericksburg courthouse, not in the Spotsylvania County courthouse, until Fredericksburg was incorporated as an independent city at which time this court was convened at the Spotsylvania County courthouse and the Fredericksburg Circuit Court was established in the City of Fredericksburg. The Court Order Book for the period shows the first reference to Circuit Court appearing in 16 August 1850 proceedings. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Court Records Digest Common Abbreviations Some abbreviations frequently found in Court Records Digest extracts are : @ --> original document /s/ --> signature admr / admor / adm --> Administrator admrx / admorx / admx --> Administratrix ads --> adverse assee --> assignee dec'd --> deceased DT / Deed T --> Deed of Trust endee --> endorsee exor / exr / extr --> Executor exorx / exrx / extrx --> Executrix FN --> Free Negro gdn --> guardian GO --> Guardian of -mr- --> marriage referenced OOP --> Overseers of the Poor pd --> attorney for the defendant pq --> attorney for the prosecution Tr --> Trustee vs --> versus --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- RECORDS CONSERVATION PROJECT The Records Conservation Project, or RCP, a volunteer project under the auspices of Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Incorporated, was started in 1990 for the purpose of identifying historic court documents which may be candidates for conservation due to their scholarly, historic or intrinsic value and raising funds for conservation of candidate documents. To that end, a database was created to provide an inventory of court paper records and a record of the identity and location of candidate documents. That database was the basis for the CPICS database currently used at the Circuit Court for the City of Fredericksburg for inventorying, indexing, and cataloging court paper records and from which the Court Records Digest was produced. CPICS (Court Papers Indexing and Cataloging System) also serves as a finding aid to court papers. The mission of the RCP has since expanded to one of assisting Circuit Court Clerks in court records preservation. The RCP, operating out of Fredericksburg, Virginia, is currently providing assistance in the Virginia Circuit Courts of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and Stafford. Assistance is provided in the form of : * recruiting, training and coordinating volunteers * processing court papers for archival storage * data entry * repairing court records * providing recommendations for records storage, access and maintenance * donating archival materials * raising funds for records preservation * coordinating preservation efforts * recommending preservation alternatives * recommending preservation priorities * seeking and obtaining preservation grants * educating the public in appropriate record handling procedures Records preservation, even with thousands of volunteer hours, is expensive and there is much work yet to be done. If you would like to make a lasting contribution to history please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Records Conservation Project. Donations should be sent to : HFFI-RCP P.O. Box 8327 Fredericksburg, VA 22404 Sponsorship of memorial projects, such as preservation of a specific record book, may be arranged. Please contact the Director of the RCP at bmcghee@interserf.net to make sponsorship arrangements. Records Conservation Project Barry L. McGhee Director bmcghee@interserf.net --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- DISTRICT COURT RECORDS 1793 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Allason vs Waldens Exors PLAINTIFF(s) : William Allason DEFENDANT(s) : John Waldon (Exor); Charles Walden (dec'd) PLACES MENTIONED : Stafford; King George REMARK(s) : Death - Charles Walden died 28 Sep 1777 CITATION : Allason vs Waldens Exors / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-56 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Aylar vs Porter PLAINTIFF(s) : Henry Aylor DEFENDANT(s) : Thomas Porter PLACES MENTIONED : Culpeper; Fredericksburg REMARK(s) : Court - District Court held at the CITATION : Aylar vs Porter / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-21 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Brown and Cook vs Hewitt PLAINTIFF(s) : John Brown; John Cook DEFENDANT(s) : William Hewitt DEPONENT(s) : John Thomson Mason PLACES MENTIONED : Stafford; Loudoun; MD (Landover); Alexandria REMARK(s) : Boat - Royal Ann Landing - Aquia Creek Shipping - fish to Alexandria CITATION : Brown and Cook vs Hewitt / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-60 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Brownlow vs Taliaferro PLAINTIFF(s) : John Brownlow DEFENDANT(s) : John Taliaferro PLACES MENTIONED : King George REMARK(s) : Commerce - corn sales Landing - Fox Spring CITATION : Brownlow vs Taliaferro / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-66 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Cunningham & Co. vs Hoyle's Admrx PLAINTIFF(s) : William Cunningham & Co. DEFENDANT(s) : Elizabeth Hoyle (admrx.); Samuel Hoyle (dec'd) PLACES MENTIONED : King George; Stafford; Prince William (Quantico) REMARK(s) : Construction - account for sales of nails - 1772 Tobacco - account for sales at Quantico Warehouse - 1772 CITATION : Cunningham & Co. vs Hoyle's Admrx / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-85 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Dawson ads Towles PLAINTIFF(s) : John Dawson DEFENDANT(s) : Oliver Towles PLACES MENTIONED : Spotsylvania REMARK(s) : ARW - sale of Certificates payable to Continental Officers & soldiers CITATION : Dawson ads Towles / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-54 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Hargrove ads Ironside PLAINTIFF(s) : Samuel Hargrove DEFENDANT(s) : Nester Ironside (leasee of John Wily) PLACES MENTIONED : Caroline REMARK(s) : Mill - lease for 99 years from 1 Jan 1785 CITATION : Hargrove ads Ironside / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-27 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Hooe vs Strode PLAINTIFF(s) : Sarah Hooe DEFENDANT(s) : John Strode PLACES MENTIONED : Culpeper; Stafford (Falmouth) REMARK(s) : Cooper - tobacco hogsheads made by Aron Lane - 1788 CITATION : Hooe vs Strode / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-79 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Hunter vs Spotswood PLAINTIFF(s) : Marianna Hunter (assignee of John Russell Spence) (aka Mary Anna Hunter) DEFENDANT(s) : Alexander Spotswood PLACES MENTIONED : Spotsylvania; Norfolk REMARK(s) : Death - J.R. Spence by 11 Nov 1791 Deed - John Russell Spence to Mary Anna Hunter - a new schooner 1789 @ CITATION : Hunter vs Spotswood / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-53 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Lambert vs Burnley PLAINTIFF(s) : Charles Lambert DEFENDANT(s) : Zachariah Burnley PLACES MENTIONED : Orange; Henrico; Hanover REMARK(s) : Marriage ref. - Nancy Jones -mr- [?] Snead Slaves - Amy, Lucy, Tom & Milly, property of Zachariah Burnley Slaves from the estate of John Jones dec'd Tract - plantation of John Jones known as the Gleab Will - John Jones - Hanover - 1784/1785 CITATION : Lambert vs Burnley / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-20 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Terry &c agst Scott PLAINTIFF(s) : Thomas Terry; George Booker DEFENDANT(s) : John Scott DEPONENT(s) : Richard Booker; Julius Coleman (47); Daniel Coleman (39) PLACES MENTIONED : Caroline; Goochland; King William REMARK(s) : Death ref. - Isabella Brumskill Scott - between 1771 and 1773 Marriage ref. - Daniel Turner -mr- Mary Brumskill, widow of Wm. Brumskill Marriage ref. - Elizabeth Brumskill -mr- [?] Terry Marriage ref. - Thomas Scott -mr- Isabella Brumskill Marriage refs. - Martha Brumskill -mr- [?] Booker Tract - John Brumskill's plantation known as Arnolds Will - John Brumskill - Caroline - 1761/1762 Will - William Brumskill - Caroline - 1770/1771 CITATION : Terry &c agst Scott / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-63 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Webb vs Chiles PLAINTIFF(s) : George Webb DEFENDANT(s) : John Chiles PLACES MENTIONED : Caroline REMARK(s) : Death ref. - abates Sep 1793 due to George Webb's death Mill - John Chiles, tenant of George Webb's mill - prior to 1787 CITATION : Webb vs Chiles / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-47 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Willis vs Smith PLAINTIFF(s) : Moses Willis DEFENDANT(s) : Robert Smith PLACES MENTIONED : Culpeper REMARK(s) : Death - Elizabeth Thomas, gdau of Alexander Waugh - 9 Apr 1784 Marriage - Moses Willis -m- Elizabeth Thomas - 24 Apr 1781 Marriage ref. - Joseph Thomas Jr. -mr- Elizabeth Waugh Marriage ref. - Joseph Thomas Jr. -mr- [?] Waugh Slaves - Lucy, Judy, Esther, Moll and Hannah, prop. of Alexander Waugh CITATION : Willis vs Smith / 1793 / CR-DC-L / 387-101 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Armistead's Exors vs Hackley COMMENT : Debt from hire of Negroes PLAINTIFF(s) : William Peachey (exor.); Leroy Peachy (exor.); Benjamin Dabney (exor.); Burgess Ball (exor.); Henry Armistead (dec'd) DEFENDANT(s) : Ann Hackley PLACES MENTIONED : Spotsylvania REMARK(s) : Slaves - Sucky; Betty - property of Henry Armistead CITATION : Armistead's Exors vs Hackley / 1793 / CR-DC-Q / 372-30 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Brodus vs Richards COMMENT : Breach of agreement. PLAINTIFF(s) : William Broadus DEFENDANT(s) : William Richards PLACES MENTIONED : Stafford REMARK(s) : Militia - sale of claim as Lieutenant in Col. Gibson's 1st VA Regiment CITATION : Brodus vs Richards / 1793 / CR-DC-Q / 372-29 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Fitzpatrick vs Shepherd COMMENT : Assault and battery PLAINTIFF(s) : John Fitzpatrick DEFENDANT(s) : George Shephard PLACES MENTIONED : Orange REMARK(s) : Monroe pq CITATION : Fitzpatrick vs Shepherd / 1793 / CR-DC-Q / 372-19 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Ingham & Callis vs William T. Alexander COMMENT : Debt for building construction. PLAINTIFF(s) : Joshua Ingham; Thomas Callis DEFENDANT(s) : William Thornton Alexander PLACES MENTIONED : King George REMARK(s) : Construction - dwelling 63 ft 9 in long by 36 ft wide, 2 stories, brick Construction - two offices each 40 ft long and 20 feet wide, brick House joiners & carpenters - Joshua Ingham and Thomas Callis CITATION : Ingham & Callis vs William T. Alexander / 1793 / CR-DC-Q / 372-40 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Commwh vs Brownlow & others PLAINTIFF(s) : Commonwealth DEFENDANT(s) : Robert Brownlow; Joseph Parke; Alexander Reddick; James Lewis Jr. James Madden; John G. Griffiths PLACES MENTIONED : Fredericksburg REMARK(s) : Death - William Crane killed March 1793 CITATION : Commwh vs Brownlow & others / 1793 / CR-DC-R / 387-91 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : The Commonwealth vs Fielding Fant PLAINTIFF(s) : Commonwealth DEFENDANT(s) : Fielding Fant PLACES MENTIONED : Stafford REMARK(s) : Death - Thomas Graves, son of William Graves, killed 26 Mar 1793 CITATION : The Commonwealth vs Fielding Fant / 1793 / CR-DC-R / 387-88 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Comwth vs Klug PLAINTIFF(s) : Commonwealth DEFENDANT(s) : Michael Klug PLACES MENTIONED : Culpeper REMARK(s) : Death - Nancy Clark (alias Nancy Bryant) killed 30 Sep 1792 CITATION : Comwth vs Klug / 1793 / CR-DC-R / 387-74 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Comnwth vs Richards PLAINTIFF(s) : Commonwealth DEFENDANT(s) : John Richards PLACES MENTIONED : Fredericksburg REMARK(s) : Jail - John Richards, keeper of the District Jail CITATION : Comnwth vs Richards / 1793 / CR-DC-R / 387-25 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Commwth vs Ross PLAINTIFF(s) : Commonwealth DEFENDANT(s) : Thomas Ross DEPONENT(s) : Robt. Walker PLACES MENTIONED : Fredericksburg REMARK(s) : Death - James Williams died 21 Nov 1792 CITATION : Commwth vs Ross / 1793 / CR-DC-R / 387-75 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Comwth vs Tod PLAINTIFF(s) : Commonwealth DEFENDANT(s) : George T. Tod DEPONENT(s) : James Doggett; William Jackson; Andrew Enright; Elizabeth Jones; Bazil Caulbart; Patrick Moore; Peter J. Badley; Thomas Shelton; Richard Peacock PLACES MENTIONED : Fredericksburg REMARK(s) : Death - William Crane killed March 1793 CITATION : Comwth vs Tod / 1793 / CR-DC-R / 387-86 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Comwlth vs Yowell PLAINTIFF(s) : Commonwealth DEFENDANT(s) : David Yowell PLACES MENTIONED : Culpeper; Madison REMARK(s) : Indictment for murder of Nancy Clark, daughter of Elizabeth Clark CITATION : Comwlth vs Yowell / 1793? / CR-DC-R / 387-87 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Porter vs Ayler PLAINTIFF(s) : Thomas Porter DEFENDANT(s) : Henry Ayler PLACES MENTIONED : Culpeper REMARK(s) : Plat - Thomas Porter / Henry Aylor disputed land - 1793 CITATION : Porter vs Ayler / 1793 / CR-DC-V / 387-62 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- STYLE : Somerville vs Bartlett PLAINTIFF(s) : James Somerville (attorney in fact for William Cunningham & Company) DEFENDANT(s) : Thomas Bartlett PLACES MENTIONED : Spotsylvania; UK (Glasgow) REMARK(s) : Slave - Betty, property of Thomas Bartlett CITATION : Somerville vs Bartlett / 1793 / CR-DC-V / 387-24 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Court Record Codes CR = Court Record DC = District Court J = Judgment L = Law action M = Miscellaneous O = Office Judgment Q = Arbitration R = Criminal action V = Appeal X = Notice --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest Notations @ following a document reference indicates an original document FN = Free Negro GO = Guardian of -mr- = Marriage reference OOP = Overseers of the Poor pd = attorney for the defense pq = attorney for the prosecution (number) following a name is the age of the person named --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation without the written consent of Barry L. McGhee or his legal representative.